Yarn twisting apparatus



United States Patent O 3,349,553 YARN TWISTING APPARATUS Henry A. Hood', Moorestown, NJ., assignor to Wall Industries, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 28, 1965, Ser. No. 475,449 4 Claims. (Cl. 57-58.7)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLGSURE A variable restraining force is applied to a yarn by use of capstan means and a rotatable fan means driven by said capstan means.

This invention relates to apparatus for twisting yarn and the like.

In twisting a plurality of fibers to form a yarn or a plurality ofyarns to form a rope strand and the like, some conventional twisting apparatus employs a whirling technique wherein the whirling action of the twister causes a tension load to be applied to the portion of the yarn as it passes through the twister. The centrifugal force of this whirling action causes the whirling part of the yarn to balloon The term balloon is used in the art to describe the shape defined by the whirling portion of the yarn, filament, strand or fiber on the twisting apparatus. In order for the twister to operate efiiciently, it is necessary that the balloon size be maintained at an optimum size for a twister speed which will cause the strands to be formed quickly. If the balloon size is too large there is a danger of contact with objects nearby which contact would cause breakage. Due to the fact that the whirling speed of the twisters conventionally employed is generally from about 2300 to about 5500 revolutions per minute, the balloon size will be excessively large unless a considerable and constant restraining force is applied to the portion of the yarn being fed to or from the twister. It should be noted that it is the maintenance of a high tension with negligible variation thereof that is difiicult. Most conventional devices suffer from change in tension during operation usually due to change in coefiicient of friction resulting from heat build -up and the like.

Heretofore this restraining force has been applied by various forms of spring or friction tension devices. However, these devices are generally unsatisfactory -since the tension required to permit running of the twister at a high speed is considerable and varation in tension results. Thus, if a high tension is placed upon the yarn when the twister is started up the sudden driving force applied to the yarn by the twister causes the yarn to break or rub against various parts of the twister thereby damaging same and possibly ultimately causing breakage.

Also heretofore varying tensions, i.e. small at the start and increasing as the speed of the twister increases, have been attempted with spring tension devices but have proved quite difiioult to carry out since a different operating tensions are required for different operating speeds and since these devices cannot always change the tension quickly enough and at the proper time thereby resulting in an unacceptably large or small balloon.

Quite surprisingly, it has now been found that uniform vtensioning of the yarn feed and accurate tensioning of the ballooned yarn can be effected even at extremely high twisting speeds if a capstan means is associated with the yarn and is used to operate a means such as a freely rotatable fan, i.e. non-driven and non-braked, means which tends to retard the rotation of the capstan means with a retarding effect that increases and decreases proportionally with increases and decreases in the rotational speed of the capstan means. It has been found that by practicing this invention higher twisting speeds than heretofore em- ICC ployed can be used thereby increasing the productivity of the twisting machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide new and improved twisting apparatus.

Other aspects, objects and the several advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description, the drawings, and the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 shows a yarn feeding and capstan means embodying this invention.

FIGURE 2 shows a side view of the capstan means of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 shows a typical twisting apparatus associated wtih the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 shows another apparatus embodying this invention.

In FIGURE l there is shown a supply of yarn or filaments comprising, for example, two spools 1 and 2 rotatably mounted on shafts 3 and 4 which are fixed to support member 5. The spools are retained on the rods by retainers 6 and 7. Horizontally extending pins 8, 9, 10 and 11 are carried by 5 and adapted to guide yarn from spools 1 and 2 through guide or guides 12 to capstans 13 and 14. The guide or guides at 12 position the yarns separately or together on the capstan 13. If more than one yarn is being twisted they are kept separate until they leave the capstans.

Capstans 13 and 14 are mounted on a suitable support member (not shown) so as to be freely rotatable. Preferably, capstans 13 and 14 are keyed to shafts 15 and 16 which shafts are connected by suitable means (not shown) to insure the surface speeds of both capstans are equal. Shafts 15 and 16 are freely rotatably supported by suitable known bearing means (not shown). Capstan 13 is joined to fan 17 by a suitable power transmission means such as a fan belt, chain drive or the like. Fan means 17 is lfreely rotatably mounted so that it rotates when the capstans rotate and at a speed proportional to the speed of rotation of the capstans. If desired, in all embodiments of this invention using a fan means, the air deflection blades of that fan means can be made variable as to their pitch so that the dragging or braking effect of that fan means while rotating in the air can be varied at will. Also, in lieu of or in addition to a variable pitch effect conventional variable speed drive mechanisms can be employed. Although two capstans have been disclosed, it should be noted that a single capstan or more than two capstans can be used if desired. The contiguous but untwisted yarns 18 pass over the outer periphery of both capstans and then move on to the twisting apparatus shown in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 2 shows capstans 13 and 14 having, for the sake of clarity, three and two grooves, respectively, thereon for guiding yarn 18 thereover. Normally a large number of grooves are employed. Each groove is generally :referred to by reference numeral 19. The yarn coming lfrom guide 12 passes over the top of 13 down under the bottom of 14 into vertically aligned grooves on 13 and 14 then through path 20 to two adjacent vertically aligned grooves on 13 and 14 and then finally through path 21 to the third adjacent groove in 13 before it passes to the apparatus of FIGURE 3. Any type of winding or num- 'ber of winds about 13 and 14 can be employed. Pulley 22 is keyed to shaft 15 and pulley 23 is keyed to freely rotatable shaft 24 which supports fan 17. Thus, when yarn 1S is pulled over capstans 13 and 14 it rotates those capstans which capstans in turn rotate fan 17. Thus, when twisting is first initiated and lower tension requirements on the yarn required, capstans 13 and 14 and therefore fan 17 are rotated at a very low speed and fan 17 thus produces a low resistance to the rotation of capstans 13 and 14 and a Ilow tension on the yarn 18. How- .a ever, as the speed of twisting and therefore the speed at which yarn 18 passes `over capstans 13 and 14 increases, so also does the speed of rotation and therefore the amount of retardation of fan 17 increase. Thus, at high twisting speeds fan 17 effects a high drag or retardation on capstans 13 and 14 thereby lputting higher tension on yarn 18. Fan 17 thereby provides a varying rest-raining force on capstans 13 and 14 and therefore a varying tension on yarn 18. Both the restraining force and the tension increase and decrease only as the need for tension on the yarn increases and decreases due to the varying speeds of twisting of the yarn in the apparatus of FIG- URE 3.

In FIGURE 3 the two-ply strand 18 passes into a central longitudinal passageway 30 in a spinner 31 and to the exterior thereof through a lateral passageway 32. If desired, a roller means can be employed in 32 to reduce friction wear on yarn 18 and spinner 31. Strand 18 then passes across the exterior of spinner for 31 engagement with an eccentric shoulder formed on spinner 31. Strand 18 then passes across the cone-shaped flyer disc 33 and, when the twister is inoperative, across a circular guard 34 which, along with disc 33, prevents contact by the strand with the operative parts of the twister 35. Strand 18 then passes into the central passageway of an apex guide 36, laround a pulley 3'7, onto dual capstans 38 and 39 which serve to feed the completely twisted strand at the desired rate to a packaging mechanism. The twisted strand 18 is fed from capstans 38 and 39 about a plurality of pulleys 40 through 46, and through an opening in the end of a reciprocally moving traverse guide arm 47 from which the twisted strand 18 is wound onto a spool 48 to form a package 49 as the arm 47 moves across that package. Pulley 41 is movably mounted and is biased toward the left as viewed in FIGURE 3 by tension spring 50. Pulley 41 and spring 50 maintain the portion of the twisted strand 18 passing between capstans 38 and 39 and package 49 taut and serve as a tension compensator. Pulleys 44-46 are movable to serve as a traverse compensating means as is well kown in the art.

In the operation of the twister, capstans 38 and 39 are driven lat substantially equal and at constant speeds to thereby pull strand 18 through guide 12 and around freely rotatable capstans 13 and 14. Capstans 38 and 39 are geared positively to the driving means for the spinner 31 and flyer disc 33 to thereby provide a uniform twist on the completed strands. As spinner 31 and disc 33 rotate, the two individual yarns are wound together to form a strand As the `spinner and disc rotate, strand 18 will be whirled whereby a centrifugal force is applied thereto to cause the strand to balloon. The balloon may take various sizes and shapes as is indicated at 18 and 18" in FIGURE 3. Since the delivery end of strand 18 is engaged by capstans 38 and 39 and cannot control the ballooning movement of the strand, the supply end of strand 18 must be suitably constrained to maintain a constant balloon configuration and, therefore, in effect, a tension load is applied to the supply end of strand 18. To counter the tension load and thereby prevent undue enlarging of the balloon size, capstans 13 and 14 and associated fan means 17 provide the necessary load. Thus, capstans 13 and 14 and fan 17 compensate for the tension load applied to the strand supply by the ballooning of the twister. Capstans 13 and 14 have smooth surfaces for frctional contact with the yarn to provide a drive between the yarn and the capstans. AS the tension load is applied to the yarn supply by capstans 38 and 39 and las the twister operates to pull the yarn toward the right due to the drawings, the frictional contact between the yarn and capstans 13 and 14 will be increased by reason of the manner in which the yarn is wound there-about. Thus, as the yarn is pulled to the right in the drawings, it will tend to tighten about capstans 13 and 14 and increase the frictional contact therewith. The frictional contact between capstans 13 and 14 and the yarn builds up to the point at which there is a positive drive, i.e. the yarn will be fed at the velocity of the periphery of the capstans. At this point the capstans 13 and 14 and fan 17 are being rotated at the maximum feed rate of the yarn to the twister. Thus, it can be seen that by this invention the tension on the supply end of strand 18 will vary from substantially zero when the twister is started to the maximum amount when the twister is rotating at its maximum speed and maximum tension is necessary.

FIGURE 4 shows a twisting apparatus wherein a supply of yarn is `internal of the twisting apparatus and the yarn is removed from the interior of the apparatus, ballooned and twisted, and then removed from the apparatus for subsequent disposition such as rewinding to form a package. the yarn package 60 is rotatably held on spool 61. Yarn is fed from package 60 through reciprocally moving traverse guide arm 62 and around pulleys 63-69 to capstans 70 and 71. Pulley 68 is resiliently supported by spring 72. Traverse arm 62, pulleys 63-69 and spring 72 function in the same manner as that described with reference to elements 40-47 and 50 of FIGURE 3.

Capstans 70 and 71 are freely rotatably mounted on circular guard 73. Capstan 71 is geared by means of shaft 74 and gear 75 to gear 76 of fan means 17. Fan means 17 is freely rotatably supported by bearings 77 on hollow shaft 78.

Strand 18 passes from capstan 71 over pulley 79 through hollow shaft 78 and out of lateral passageway 80 of spinner 81. The strand then passes over yer disc 82 across circular guard 73 and onto flyer disc 82. The twisted strand then passes over spinner 83 into lateral passageway 84 and out of central longitudinal passageway 85 for subsequent disposition such as rolling into a package. Drive means similar to driven capstans 38 and 39 of FIGURE 3 coact with the twisted strand after it has left passageway 85 to pull strand 18 from package 60.

In this case as in the case of the apparatus of FIGURE 3, strand 18 is pulled from package 60 and as twisting of twister 86 is rst initiated strand 18 is untensioned and therefore not ballooned, but as the speed of twisting is increased the strand balloons outwardly to positions such as 18' and 18". Also, as with the `apparatus of FIGURE 3, the tensioning due to ballooning must be taken up at the supply end of the yarn. For example, in FIGURE 3 it is taken up in the fan exterior to twister 86. The ratio of the surface speed of the exterior capstans (not shown) and the revolutions per minute of the ballooning strand 18 is constant. The load for counteracting the tension load due to ballooning is provided in FIGURE 4 by the combination of freely rotatable capstans 70 and 71 geared to fan 17. The function of capstans 70 and 71 and fan 17 is the same as that discussed above with reference to FIGURES 1-3 and capstans 13 and 14 and fan 17 and therefore will not be repeated here. It should be noted that here, as above, one capstan or more than two capstans can be employed in lieu of capstans 70 and 71.

Reasonable variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims to the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination, a means for supplying yarn, apparatus -for twisting said yarn including means for whirling said yarn to form a balloon-shaped portion thereof and to apply a tension load thereto, freely rotatable capstan means associated with said yarn, said yarn passing from said supply means to said capstan means and to said twisting apparatus, said yarn passing around said capstan means for frictional contact therewith which contact tends to increase upon the application of a tension load to said yarn by at least the ballooning thereof, and freely rotatable fan means driven by said capstan means carrying at least one air deflection blade and so that retardation of the rotation of said capstan means by said fan means increases and decreases proportionally with increases and decreases in the speed of rotation of said capstan means thereby applying a variable restraining force to the rotation of said ycapstan means and to said yarn.

2. In combination, appara-tus for twisting yarn including means for whirling yarn to form a balloon-shaped portion thereof and to apply a tension load thereto and a means for supplying yarn in the interior thereof, capstan means associated with said yarn, said yarn pas-sing from said supply means to said capstan means and then out of said twisting apparatus, said yarn passing around said capstan means for frictional contact therewith to increase l0 said frictional contact and to tend to bind on said capstan means upon the application of a tension load to said yarn, said capstan means including rotatable fan means carrying at least one air deflection blade being driven by said capstan means so that retardation of the rotation of said capsan means by said fan means increases and decreases proportionally with increases and decreases in the speed of rotation of said capstan means thereby applying a variable restraining force to the rotation of said capstan means and to said yarn.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said at least one fan means air deflection blade is adjustable so that the 6 pitch and therefore dragging effect of said fan means can be varied.

4. The apparatus of Iclaim 1 wherein said at least one fan means air deflection blade is adjustable so that the pitch and ltherefore dragging effect of said fan means can be varied.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,992,912 2/ 1935 Mater. '2,777,545 1/ 1957 Rockett 242-754 X 2,869,315 1/1959 Klein 57-58.84 2,871,648 2/1959 Vibber 57-58.83 X 3,054,572 9/ 1962 Williams et al a 242-867 3,099,126 7/1963 Laureti 57-58.86 X 3,257,086 6/ 1966 Drenning 242-754 FOREIGN PATENTS 636,748 5 1950 Great Britain. 953,884 4/ 1964 Great Britain.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner. D. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A MEANS FOR SUPPLYING YARN, APPARATUS FOR TWISTING SAID YARN INCLUDING MEANS FOR WHIRLING SAID YARN TO FORM A BALLOON-SHAPED PORTION THEREOF AND TO APPLY A TENSION LOAD THERETO, FREELY ROTATABLE CAPSTAN MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID YARN, SAID YARN PASSING FROM SAID SUPPLY MEANS TO SAID CAPSTAN MEANS AND TO SAID TWISTING APPARATUS, SAID YARN PASSING AROUND SAID CAPSTAN MEANS FOR FRICTIONAL CONTACT THEREWITH WHICH CONTACT TENDS TO INCREASE UPON THE APPLICATION OF A TENSION LOAD TO SAID YARN BY AT LEAST THE BALLOONING THEREOF, AND FREELY ROTATABLE FAN MEANS DRIVEN BY SAID CAPSTAN MEANS CARRYING AT LEAST ONE AIR DEFLECTION BLADE AND SO THAT RETARDATION OF THE ROTATION OF SAID CAPSTAN MEANS BY SAID FAN MEANS INCREASES AND DECREASES PROPORTIONALLY WITH INCREASES AND DECREASES IN THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF SAID CAPSTAN MEANS THEREBY APPLYING A VARIABLE RESTRAINING FORCE TO THE ROTATION OF SAID CAPSTAN MEANS AND TO SAID YARN. 